Johnnie Walker Green Label, 15yr, 43%

[jwise]

Johnnie Walker's Green Label is aged 15yrs and is blended from pure malt whisky from four exceptional distilleries: Talisker, Cragganmore, Linkwood, and Caol Ila. I have before tasted their Black Label and Red Label, and I've got samples of the Gold and Blue in my cabinet. Look for those reviews sometime soon! However, I have heard over and over how the Green Label is: (a) the best of the range, or (b) if not the best, it is the best value in the range.

One problem with the Green Label locally is that the price varies incredibly. I have seen the whisky sell from $50 to $70, which is just silly. I refused to spend the $65-70 when I knew I could find it (eventually) for $50. So, when I finally found it for $50, I went for it.



The color of the whisky is a nice chardonnay, and comes in at 43% ABV.

Nose: Interesting... This definitely shows its lineage, with the pepper of Talisker and the smoke from Caol Ila coming through! At this point, this and a little sea air is all I am really getting. I'm sure once I take a sip or two, the whisky will open up a bit more. We'll see. Yep! I'm getting some soft fruits coming out now.

Body: Medium body. The whisky feels good in the mouth.

Palate: Some spice builds, and there is some smoke coming out in the back. On the third and fourth pull, I'm getting some citrus fruits (the fruit, not the rind). The whisky (at room temperature) feels cool in the mouth, which is quite refreshing. As the glass slowly empties, the dram gets more fruity: tangerine? Very robust flavor, which has been blended nicely for a well-rounded whisky profile. I feel somewhat like I have cheated, drinking a blend of single malts, but I'm getting over it!

Finish: Spicy, and medium long. Pepper, with smoke.

It has been a little while since I had a nice smokey malt. I have been drinking some great Speysides, and some unpeated Islays, but there is a special place in my heart for a little smoke!

I just poured myself another dram, as I am really enjoying this whisky. Kudos to Johnnie Walker for blending us up a fantastic pure vatted malt. Seriously, this is yummy. If you like a peppery malt with some smoke with just a little citrus fruit to round things out, check out the Green Label from Johnnie Walker!

[olikli]

The color of the whisky is a nice chardonnay, and comes in at 43% ABV.

The green one is a nice dram indeed, it's my favourite of the JW range. But I have yet to find a chardonnay of such a dark colour

[jwise]

You're right. I was holding the glass up to the light of the computer screen, and looking at the various colors and the color of the whisky, and it appeared a lot lighter than that in the bottle. The picture also makes it look a bit darker. Perhaps sunlight, or pale straw would be a better color description.

BTW- I'm now on my third glass of JW GL for the night! Whoo, it's good....

[malt_boy]

Nose: Sherry, cinnamon, creamy, bourbon and a hint of smoke.

Taste: sweet, light, honeyed, sherbet.

F: malt with smokey short finish. Warming to the throat.

Really well balanced, maybe a bit too balanced - feels like Diageo has took a couple of their Classic Malts and mixed them about in a lab to create this. It never really leaves the comfort zone of going back and forth between the 4 main malts, however when water is added the Talisker starts to come out its shell. A good session whisky but leaves you wanting a single malt.

[Marius87]

[quote="jwise"]Johnnie Walker's Green Label is aged 15yrs and is blended from pure malt whisky from four exceptional distilleries: Talisker, Cragganmore, Linkwood, and Caol Ila. I have before tasted their Black Label and Red Label, and I've got samples of the Gold and Blue in my cabinet. Look for those reviews sometime soon! However, I have heard over and over how the Green Label is: (a) the best of the range, or (b) if not the best, it is the best value in the range.

One problem with the Green Label locally is that the price varies incredibly. I have seen the whisky sell from $50 to $70, which is just silly. I refused to spend the $65-70 when I knew I could find it (eventually) for $50. So, when I finally found it for $50, I went for it.


-So is it better than JW gold?... Which do you prefer? I am trying for to figure out which one to get...
Why doe's the price vary so much in your area? I live in the states and the state I live in has a law that all stores have to sell every brand of alcohol for the same price everywhere no matter where you go. The state determines the price and the prices seem to be on par with every where else (not counting Australia because they are getting screwed over there!).

[Johnny Murgatroyd]

The most famous Vatted Whisky of all time - I even unconsciously think of all vatted whiskies as "green whiskies", a kind of marketing based synesthesia perhaps. After a slight disappointment with Double Black, I decided to explore in another direction entirely. Never tried the Green Label before, and most curious to find out more.

Glass:
Glencairn

Water:
A couple drops

Colour:
Caramelised, gold heading to copper.

Body:
Medium

Nose:
Really a testament to how a vatted/blended differs from a single malt. I have recently been getting back into the Talisker 10 - the first impression is the Talisker with its oyster shell, maritime and sour peat character. But below that (and its Caol Ila woodsmoke compadre) an undergirding of powerful cappucino, milk chocolate and mild fruitiness boils. Really nice to sniff, the sourness and maritiminess of the peaty Talisker contrasting well with that creamy cappucino. Even some oaky wood shavings and apple. Coconut.

Taste:
Peat and bitterness makes the centre of the tongue dry out rapidly. This driness is followed by a sudden sweating of the tongue. The bitterness falls away like the bottom of a defective elevator. We are left with creaminess, custard, wood shavings.

Finish:
A lot of wood shavings. More mouth watering.

Nice bit of whisky, this one. You can taste that it's heading towards middle age. The combining of speysidery elements with west coast grimness is quite remarkable.

[dramtastic]

I wouldn't call this a serious whisky but it's very well put together and certainly the best value 15YO whisky of any kind in Australia(often on sale for 54 bucks). A logical step for anyone moving up from blends like Chivas.
Often have a bottle on hand. My favorite of the standard Johnnie Walker range.

[Willie JJ]

Nose: The initial burst of fruit and flowers is quickly caught up by the oily shellfish and gentle smoke. The peated malts certainly dominate, but the speysiders make their presence felt too. Nice but like most vattings its not the easiest thing to sort out.
Palate: sweet smouldering ash with a salty/sweet interplay and light white fruit juices and burnt malt.
Finish: Plenty of salty, ashy character here and much less sign of the Speysiders.
Comment: This is great fun to drink, but it doesn't have the poise of a great single malt. Incredibly good value though.